Municipal Water Efficiency Program

This program identifies and provides funding for water conservation and water efficiency projects in city-owned facilities. Under this program, DEP has identified opportunities for water efficiency projects and water savings in more than 2,000 city properties, with estimated water savings of over 9 million gallons of water per day over the course of the program. DEP has established inter-agency partnerships with other city agencies in order to plan and implement water efficiency projects in schools, parks, playgrounds and recreation centers, public universities, firehouses, and public housing developments.

DEP has partnerships with six municipal agencies, including the Department of Education, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Fire Department of New York, the City University of New York, and the New York City Housing Authority. DEP has built consensus around water efficiency retrofits in city buildings through inter-agency partnerships, and has led the charge by evaluating our own wastewater treatment plant facilities for water conservation opportunities.

DEP has launched an annual water conservation initiative to challenge facility operators at wastewater treatment plants to implement water conservation best practices and monitor reductions in potable water usage.

As new regulatory standards for energy and water efficiency standards in new buildings emerge, it is crucial that we do not forget our older building stock. Energy and water efficiency retrofits are a key part of ensuring a more sustainable future for all New Yorkers, and it is the responsibility of the City to demonstrate how these types of projects can be implemented successfully, with benefits to the public and our natural environment.